Comparative Geomorphometric Analysis of Drainage Basin Using AW3D30 Model in ArcGIS and QGIS Environment: Case Study of the Ibar River Drainage Basin, Montenegro

Abstract

Geomorphometric analysis provides crucial insights into the hydrological characteristics by delineating the land-surface features of a drainage basin. The study focused on analyzing the geomorphometric parameters of the Montenegrin segment of the Ibar River drainage basin using the ALOS Global Digital Surface Model 30 m (AW3D30). Geomorphometric parameters, covering linear and areal parameters, were computed using standard mathematical formulas in LibreOffice Calc software and hydrology tools in commercial GIS software ArcGIS, as well as open-source software QGIS with SAGA GIS modules. Results reveal a dendritic pattern in the stream network, with an inverse relationship between stream length and order, and an elevated bifurcation ratio indicating heightened vulnerability to flooding, influenced by geological, geomorphological, and climatic factors. Furthermore, examination of diverse areal morphometric parameters, such as drainage density, stream frequency, form factor, circularity ratio, and elongation ratio, unveils the hydrological dynamics of the Ibar basin. This characterization illustrates the region as possessing high permeability and dense vegetation cover, suggesting vulnerability to erosion and consequent effects on water and sediment discharge. Additionally, this study underscores the significance of user-defined parameters in geomorphometric modeling, particularly in selecting algorithms within analysis software, which significantly impact drainage basin parameters.